Process and apparatus for compressing, drying, and transferring chlorin gas.



J. W. AYLSWOBTH.

PROCESS AND APPARATUS FOR COMPRESSING, DRYING, AND TRANSFERRING CHLORIN GAS.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 6, 1 913. RENEWED SEPT-2. 1914- 1 1 34,432, Patented Apr. 6, 1915.

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Application flle dl iovember 6'', 1 913, 'sri a l u vagsa aae a Sept i2,ie14. semi No. 859,906.

available/fa fIt'isparticflarlyimportant v p dustfial'flfalppli fi fiimi f t e n 1 m y dryconditionandi ataide-1] into intimate I 'contact with the chlorin gas "at all stages ofthe process, splashing over be suppli 1 f I l i bromin' gas, greatly. impairs-i wefulness herein as to chlorin applies -a's welljw.

3 5 bromin- To'all whom/ it may concern residing in: East Orange, inf'the county 0 Essex} and State of New Jersey,-have-.invented certain new and useful, Improve 1;

f'gas in a process such as will be described.

ments in Proces'sesland Apparatus-for Comressing,-Drying, and Transferring:Ohlorin as, ofi'which the following 'is-a description .'f

Myinventionrelates to an improved proof-I ess for continuously: transferringgases; such r as chlorin. and bromin', and to improved 1 apeparatus by I which; such I prdces'sama .efi-j cien'tly' be carriedoutrf f; y i vention 1 "nae itholrawfl and .L

sired ,pre's ur oisture in chlorin or becausejchiefix-of' the corrosive action of as the behavior of bromin' is very similar, it will be understood that what is stated Chlorin as commercially produced usually contains water, and it must be drled,

. according to the usual practice, by a special drying process, before-it can be used. As stated, one of the featuresof my'inve'ntion is that the chlorin is dried during its transfer and compression. The improved process is a continuous one, makes no use of valves or like moving parts, and is capable of maintaining and supplying chlorin gas under a considerable and substantially constant pressure. It may effectively be used, for example, for measuring and delivering chlorin under pressure to the chlorinating chambers ina process for making chloronaphthalenes, and the like, disclosed in my Patent No. 914,223, dated March 2, 1908. and for all other uses in which chlorin is to may n- 'j. a

' for the chlorin.

- v f lf bdy-dried, and" supplied under Be it known that LJouas W. A ms- WORTH,: a citizen of the United States-and more or less pressure.

The invention-is founded onmy appreciation of th ,:pracuca1l unique propertiesof sulfuric acld as an agent for causing the transfer, drying and compressing of chlorin fchamber above the acid being filled with chlorin gas,-which issupplied thereto. A

{helical .pipecoil; or coils are mounted in this-chamber 'toi rotate therein and alter- !t'r'a'p volumes; of chlorin and d deliver the same continuously 'romthe gas andreturned to Inber. n the; ---gas' will act like a series ISlIQIlS npt'he'alternate volumes of gas coilsto' compress the same in a regumanner, and; transfer the same continaquslygto therecei-ving chamber.- At the same me -the sulfuric acid, since it comes and covering the various pipe and chamber surfaces, forms a'very efficient drying agent I am aware that rotary pumping apparatus having a general similarity to that referred to'has been proposed for pumping water or for forcing or compressing air, water generally being the fluid used to act 'as-apiston to drive the air through the spiral tubes to the point of discharge. Such a process,- however, could not be used practically for transferring chlorin, because of the absorption of the latter by the water, and because of the corrosive action of the wet chlorin. The same objection holds as 'to other fluids, and so far as I amaware .The acid being much osmomu lit i Zchamber, in 'which the acid cause of the use of the H 80 and the chlorin the apparatus which I use in practice for carrying out my process is made of cast or wrought iron, although other substances such as nickel alloys, not easily corroded by chlorin, might be used.

An improvement also resides in my im proved preferred apparatus, in the means for returning acid from the receiving chamber to the pump chamber which does away with the use of a valve, which latter is obj ectionable where sulfuric acid is under consideration.

In order that my invention may be more clearly understood, attention is directed to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification, in which the same reference characters are used to designate corresponding parts throughout and in which- Figure 1 is a central longitudinal sectional view, parts being shown in elevation,

of an apparatus constructed in accordance with my invention and forming a'suitable means for carrying out my improved process. Fig. 2 is a front elevation, partly in section, showing a modified form of the pumping element of the apparatus shown in Fig. 1, and Fig. 3 is an end elevation of Fig. 2 looking' from the left.

Referring especially to Fig. 1, reference character 1 represents a closed chamber pro vided with a chlorin supply pipe 2, and 3" represents a closed chamber into which the chlorin is adapted to betransferred from chamber 1 by a pumping means 4.. Chamber 1 ismounted on a suitable base 5 and chamber 3 is mounted, preferably at the 'samei level as chamber'l, on suitable sup- :POFESJG- In one wall of chamber 1 is journaledi 'a driving shaft 7 which extends out wardly through a stuffing box 8 provided with suitable packing 9, preferably of graphite. Shaft 7 is driven by any suitable means, such as worm gearing 10, at a uniform speed. The pumping means 1 preferably comprises a pumping element consisting of a helical pipe coil 11 one end portion 12 of which opens into chamber 1 and the other end portion 13 of which extends ra-' dially of the coil, and is suitably connected to a hollow axial hub portion 14 which in turn is connected to one end of a pipe 15, in axial alinement with shaft 7. Pipe 15 preferably extends through a stufiing box 8' slmllar in construction to the stuffing box 8, but located in the opposite wall of chamber 1. A spider 16 serves as a support for the coil 11. Hub 17 of spider 16, and also hub 'POItIQII 14 have a splined connection 18 with shaft The other end of pipe 15 is journaled m one wall of chamber 3, leakage be- 1n g prevented by a stuffing box 19 provided with suitable packin 20, preferably of graphite, and this en opens into a downwardly directed discharge spout 21 secured to the interior of chamber 3. Chambers 1' and 3 are partially filled with sulfuric acid 22, which is heavier than the gas to be pumped and during the operation of the device the acid 22 is maintained, so long as the pressure in chamber. 3 remains approxi mately the same, approximately at levels A and B respectively, as hereinafter described. Communication between the lower portions of chambers 1 and 2 is established by suitable means whereby excess sulfuric acid in chamber 3 may be returned to chamber 1.

The preferred means for connecting the lower portions of chambers 1 and 3 comprises the long vertical U-tube 23 as shown, provided with a draw-off cock 24-, if desired. The tube 23 should be of a good diameter and the length of each vertical arm thereof should be sufiicient so that the acid therein will counterbalance the pressure in the receiving chamber 3. l/Vith this arrangement the level of acid in chamber 3 or the vertical arm of the tube 23 connecting therewith, will depend on the pressure of chlorin gas therein. In place of the above described construction a by-pass between the bottoms of the two chambers governed by a float valve in chamber 3 may be used, as shown in dotted lines, to keep the level in chamber 3 at about level B, acid flowing back to chamber 1 as pistons of-acid are discharged into the top of chamber 3' from the pump. The construction shown with the long verticaltube is preferred, however, since it does away with the necessity of a valve which is constantly covered with sulfuric acid. Further, the preferred construction affords a more uniform regulation of the'pressure in chamber 3, since, if gas is not withdrawn regularly therefrom, and the pressure rises,

the acid level will drop below level B, and a greater space will be afforded for the gas. In practice the compressed gas will be withdrawn from chamber 3 for use quite continuously during the continuance of the process.

In the preferred construction illustrated the length ofthe vertical arm of pipe 23 connected with chamber 3 must be long enough so that the pressure in chamber 3 will never force the level B of the acid in pipe 23 beyond the bend at the bottom of the pipe, as in that case the seal would be broken and gas would rise through the acid in the arm of the pipe connected with chamber 1, and return to chamber 1. Thus, if. it be assumed that the pressure at which the gas is delivered by the coils' l tothe, chamber 3 shall be five pounds, and the-specific gravity of the sulfuric acid used to be approximately 1.8, the excess of pressure in chamber 3 above that in chamber 1, namely a maximumof 5 pounds, would correspond to a column of H 80 approximately 6 feet high, and accordingly the vertical arm of pipe 23 should be somewhat more than six bers'land 3 through which the acid maybe supplied to and drawn from the chambers use. The top 0 cover 27 which preferably is provided with when desired, these apertures being suitably closed as" by -plugs when the apparatus is in chamber .3 is formed asa a flange 28 adapted to seat in a groove 29' formed in the top edge of the vertical walls of the chamber, a suitable packing 30, preferably of graphite, being provided to seal the cover. This cover may be held inposition by any suitable means, not shown.

In Figs. 2 and 3 the pumping element is shown as a pair of pipe coils 11', 11', formed in a double helix, one end portion 12' of each coil 11' opening into supply chamber 1 at diametrically opposite points, and the opposite end portion 13' of each coil extending radially of the coil from diametrically opposite points and being suitably connected to the hollow hub portion 14. Hollow hub portion 14 is connected to pipe 15 and splined to shaft 7 in the same manner as hub portion 14: of the device shown in, Fig. 1. A partition 31 is provided centrally of the hollow hub portion 14 and pipe 15 to insure all the fluid discharged through portions 13, 13', of the two coils '11, 11', entering pipe 15.

The operation of the apparatus shown in Fig. 1 is as follows :--Chambers 1 and 3 being supplied with the proper amount of concentrated sulfuric acid and the apertures 23 being closed, chlorin is supplied, preferably at atmospheric pressure, to the upper portion of chamberl through pipe 2 from any suitable source, and shaft is driven at a suitable uniform; speed through worm gearing 10 from any suitable source ofv power, not shown. The rotation of shaft 7 actuates pumping element 4, and the'open end portion 12 thereof will alternately be immersed in the chlorin and H 80, whereby alternate pistons of chlorin and sulphuric acid will e entrapped in the coil 11. The helical pipe coil operates somewhat on the principle of the screw of Archimedes, the heavier fluid, or H,SO tending b gravity to occupy the lower segments 0 the helix;- The continuous entra ing of further portions of chlorin and S0, will force the previously entrapped chlorin and H SO through the coil in a helical path to the tube 15 to thereby cause the'dischar e of alternate volumes of chlorin 'and H 0 through spout 21 into chamber 3, the chlorin being compressed by the action of the 11,80 istons while passing through the coil. he

7 the chambers.

deglieerof pression of the chlorin'mai' be regulated by the length'of the helical'coil,"

and by'the speed at which it is driven, as

well as by the depth of the H 80, in cham-i ber 1,-these being preferably regulated so as to maintain the chlorin inchamber 3 ate.

pressure of five or more pounds above at- 1 mospheric pressure, which. is found most desirable for carr ing'out the process described in my Patent o. 914,223 referred to. This pressure in'chamber '3 will cause the transfer of some of the acidgfrom chamber 3 'throughipipef23 tochambe'r 1: and as long as the device.isfinfoperation the acid will be maintained in chambers 1 and 3 approximately at levels A and B respectively,

or at such levelsfas .will be maintained by the excess of pressure of :chlori'n gas in I chamber "3 over thatin chamber 1, for, as

the pistons of H 80; are discharged into chamber 3, the ,ressure' thereinwill force the surplus 1'1 O fjthrough pipe 23 into chamber 'l-until the H SQ v in chamber 3 is j again at level B, or] atwhatever level corresponds to the diiference in pressure between The 'upper. portion which the compressed chlorin is conveyed to the pointof application by pipe 25, serves as a storage chamber or reservoir whereby wide fluctuations of pressure atthe point of application areprevented.

The operation of the apparatus when provided with the modified pumping element disclosed in Figs. 2 and 3 is the same as above described except that for each revolution of shaft 7 two pistons each of l-LSO and chlorin are entrapped instead of one whereby the discharge into chamber 3 is more nearly continuous and the liability of fluctuations in pressure of the chlorin as in chamber 3 and in the levels of the H 0 in chambers 1 and 3 is lessened.

- Having now described my invention, what I claim and desire to protect by Letters Patent is v 1. The process of transferring, compressing and drying chlorin gas which conslsts in .entrapping- -volumes of the chlorin gas between alternate volumes of sulfuric acid, forcing the entrapped alternate volumes continuously through an inclosed path to a desired point, causing intimate contact between the acid and the gas and thereby drying the latter, and permitting the separation of the acid from the dried'gas', substantially as described.

2. The process of transferring, compressing and drying chlorin gas which consists in causin alternate volumes ofchlorin gas and sulfunc acid to continuously enter a helical pipe, rotatin the latter and thus transferrlng the aci and as compressed thereby into a receiver, causmg intimate contact be tween the acid and gas therein and thereby bf chamber T Q drying the gas, and separating the acid from the dried gas, substantially as described.

The process of transferring, compressing and drying chlorin gas which consists in entrapping alternate pistons of the chlorin gas and sulfuric acid at a point of low pres sure, in forcing the entrapped volumes of gas and acid in a helical path continuously in the same direction, while compressing the pistons of gas by'the action thereon of the pistons of llquid, to a point of higher pressure, causing intimate contact between the acid and gas to dry the latter, and returning the acid from the point of high pressure to the point of low pressure, substantially as described.

4:. In an apparatus for transferring, compressing and drying chlorin, the combination of a chamber partially filled with sulfuric acid and adapted to be supplied with chlorin gas, a second chamber, and means comprising a continuously rotating helical pipe coil having one end opening into said first'chamber and its other end communicating with said second chamber, whereby alternate volumes of the acid and chlorin gas are entrapped from said first chamber, discharged into said second chamber, the gas being under pressure, the gas dried by contact with the acid, and the acid separated from the gas in said second chamber, and a vertically positioned U-shaped pipe mounted below said chambers with its ends respectively opening into the lower portions of each of the same for returning acid from said second to said first chamber, the vertical height of said pipe being sufficient so that the maximum pressure in said second chamber shall not force the level of the acid in said pipe beyond the bend in the same, substantially as described.

This specification signed and witnessed this 3d day of November 1913.

JONAS W. AYLSWORTH.

Witnesses DYER SMITH, FREDERICK BACHMANN. 

